References when looking for new job?

[Lion06]

How do people tell their boss or co-workers that they are looking for other employment? Does anyone even tell their current employer before you find new employment? If you don't tell anyone how do you get references for the potential new employer? How do you approach the subject of references with your current co-workers?

 

[PMR06]

When you tell your boss/coworkers is pretty personal. For me, I wouldn't tell anyone before a first interview. If I get an offer or if they want more interviews, then I think it's professional to tell someone.

As for references, I would list them as "available upon request". Then if an interviewer requests your current employer for reference, that's when you have the difficult talk with your current boss/coworkers, explain that you have been looking around and that they may expect a reference call.

Good luck with the job search!

 

[prohammy]

In UK & Ireland it is a rarity for any interviewer to ask for a reference from your present company (most if not all will understand that when you are looking for a new job you really don't want to let your present employer know until you are ready to do so, ie you have accepted a new position)

Generally, I think the less your employer knows about you interviewing for a new job the better. There is a period of time once you hand in your notice when they can counter-offer.

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK

 

[dpc]

How do people tell their boss or co-workers that they are looking for other employment?

If they are smart, they don't. If you have to stop and ask yourself if you should be telling someone about this, you probably should not be telling them.

I wouldn't tell your boss anything until you have a written job offer you plan to accept and you hand him/her your resignation. I've been on both sides of this and this is the best way.

Remember, it's much easier to find a job when you already have one. Being unemployed makes it much harder to find a new job.

 

[Lion06]

dpc-
Wouldn't you expect the potential new employer to want to check references? If you have only had one job, then your only references are at your current employer. I agree with you that you shouldn't say anything until there is an offer in hand, but how do you handle the references?

 

[michfan]

If you've only had one job, you let the interviewer know that this would be your second job out of college. If you have a good record where you are at, you tell the interviewer that - don't lie for any reason - and let them know that you haven't spoken to your current employer about leaving so you'd rather not give your direct supervisor as a reference.

If you've been with the company for a few years, offer a co-worker as a reference (as an engineer, I offered the reference of a project manager that I'd been working with on multiple projects) as a reference. I was close to the PM and knew he wouldn't let my manager know I was looking to leave.

Also, if you've kept in touch with any of your college professors (I had a design professor that was my advisor, I gave his name and he was pleased to give me a reference) you might consider using them as a reference.

Once you've worked a couple of places, you can use previous supervisors as your reference and just leave out your current supervisor, unless they know you are leaving.

I've never had an interviewer INSIST that I give them my current manager - they have all been very understanding. I've not yet had anyone expect me to "tip off" my current supervisor until they decide to make a job offer.

 

[Beggar]

Whatever you do, don't tell your current boss or coworkers that you're looking.

If somebody is interviewing you and asks for references, tell them that you're in your first professional gig and you'd prefer that they not be apprised of what's happening. I've never known anybody to have a problem with that.

You could offer up personal references outside of your place of employment, if pressed.



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[MadMango]

Employers checking work references are handled through the HR department. They'll simply go through your listed history, contact the previous employer's HR department and verify that you had been an employee. They may or may not try to find out why you actually left.

Usually the references stated on a resume as being "available upon request" are more on a personal level concerning your work habits, ethics, and personality. As long as you haven't burned any bridges when leaving your current employer, there shouldn't be a problem, just ask. I think we need to clarify between the two different "references".

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

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[winpop123]

To your question:Wouldn't you expect the potential new employer to want to check references.

Not necessarily, sometimes it’s just a bogus canned question and they never check. That being said some employers will check.

I definitely wouldn't lump boss and other co-workers in the same group. First, If you have to wonder about a co-worker then definitely don't tell them or it will be all over the office you are job hunting. If this is your first real job then use a college professor or someone that you have worked for in the past doing odd jobs. If the new employer insist on getting a reference from your current employer then require that you have an offer letter in hand with the contingency that your references will check out good. In the US, I believe HR can only confirm that you were employed at the company otherwise they can be sued.

As far as the boss goes you almost never want to tell them. Only if you know them extremely well do you let them know. Otherwise you will get the shaft.

good luck

 

[kchayfie]

Another alternative to college professors would be colleagues who have already left your previous company. When I left my first post, my references had both previously worked for the company and left around 6 months or so earlier. I knew the need to move was getting more important for me so made a deliberate effort to stay in touch after they moved on.

 

[jpankask]

At the two companies I have been with since graduating, employees were instructed to route any calls for references to HR, who would then only confirm start and end dates. This is due to people taking companies to court over less than stellar references (truthful or not). For that reason, a lot of companies probably won't expect to get a reference from you current employer. Have copies of performance appraisals ready to hand over if they ask for references or just offer them up.

 

[Lion06]

jpankask-
That sounds like an excellent idea-having your performace reviews available. I have only had a 6-month review (my 1-yr review is coming up shortly), but I don't get anything in writing. My 6-month review was great, and I expect my 1-yr to follow suit, but my last review turned into a 2-hour discussion about how I like the company and what new responsibilities I would like to take on. I wish I were a fly on the wall, though (with a stenographer, of course!).

 

[KENAT]

In my opinion...

In answer to the OP, 99.9% of the time you don't.

The only time I can think that you might is if you're using it as some kind of negotiating tool, however this is a high risk approach with a good chance of backfiring. Maybe if you're close with a non management colleague you might mention it but it could still be risky.

I'm with most of the others regards references. Most potential employers wont expect to get detailed references, if any, from a current employer. And as others have said many companies will now only confirm employment dates not much more.

References from previous employers, college professors or former colleagues are a better idea.

That said I’ve broken most of these rules but under specific circumstances.

I once left a job application (or may have been an add) on my desk after we’d had some layoffs. It wasn’t particularly intentional but wasn’t just carelessness. My Technical Director whom I had a pretty good relationship with saw it and assured me there wouldn’t be layoffs in our department, plus I think it may have something to do with my above inflation pay rise & an unheard of bonus a couple months later. However, I wouldn’t dream of doing this at my current employer.

Also when I did eventually leave that company if was to emigrate to be with my wife, not for another job, so I was fairly open with them and although my formal resignation was short and sweet I’d verbally let them know what was happening some time before, everyone except the financial director was fine with it. I got my boss and a more senior colleague to give me written references, also several people I’d worked with from different companies in the US agreed to be references. Again though it was a somewhat unusual situation and even if in the same circumstances at my current employer I wouldn’t say anything.

thread731-180043 & thread731-178435 though talking about resignation letters have some relevance.

 

[keepinitcool]

I had a similar situation which ended up kind of odd. I applied at one place and said it was okay if they verified my employment with my places of employment. Not sure if I should have done that, but I thought they would just call a check in a simple manner. The odd thing is they verified employment info by faxing the part of the job application that I filled out for the company they were checking info on. I've never heard of this, since faxes are not particularly secure.

After that, my present employer was a little freaked out and wanted to talk about it. After a meeting later in the week I accepted a raise at my then present position. Luckily I wasn't that interested in the other job.

Of course if you don't want to stay, then it would highly depend on the people you work with and the situation.

 

[Ashereng]

I go up to my co-workers and say "Would you be able to provide me with a good reference should I need one?".

If they say yes, I get their cell phone and email address should I need to provide that to a prospective employer.

If they ask if I am looking for work, I say "Not actively at this time, but you never know.", which is pretty much the truth these days.

It usually works well.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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